A unique love story by Aki Kaurismaki, Ariel, is the story of Taisto, a miner, who loses his job when the mine he works at closes down. In his search for work, he meets Irmeli, a resourceful single mother, who he instantly has a connection with. Through a series of unfortunate events, Taisto sees his life go from bad to worse, as he ends up penny-less and ultimately in jail. Irmeli is the only person in his life that cares about Taisto, and the two plan a way to escape their situation and start a new life. Kaurismaki's minimalistic style is very present in this film as we are given a lesson in economy of storytelling. At 72 minutes its a short film that explores the pitfalls and circumstance of life to great effect. There are instances of Kaurismaki's dark humor but this film is much more interested in gritty realism of Finland, a place that doesn't seem to have enough jobs to go around. Through Taisto's story, the film suggests that poverty and circumstance are the main contributors to crime. It's not as emotionally resonant as some of his other films from this era like 'The Matchstick Girl' but its still an affective portrait of a blue collar man, who desires a life with opportunity.7.75/10